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July 5-10, 2019
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JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer Downtown CenterState Bank is relocating
COURTHOUSE JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer COMFORT Record & Observer
It will consolidate at the FirstAtlantic offices in San Marco.
JACKSONVILLE
BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
CenterState Bank is relocating from the Downtown core to offices in the San Marco area. Spokeswoman Lori Ingram said customers were notified of the move. By Sept. 20, CenterState will move to the FirstAtlantic Bank offices at 1325 Hendricks Ave. that will be converted, she said. “The decision was made to consolidate that branch into the San Marco branch,” said Ingram, senior vice president and director of marketing. FirstAtlantic was owned by National Commerce Corp., which became part of CenterState Bank Corp. in a merger completed April 1. FirstAtlantic Financial Holdings Inc. merged into National
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer
SEE BANK, PAGE 6
Photo by Max Marbut
Elizabeth Wallace and her rescued American pit bull terrier, Mr. Vito, volunteer at the Duval County Courthouse to help take peoples’ minds off why they are in the building.
Therapy dog teams operated by 13 volunteers helps ease the stress for children and others at the Duval County Courthouse.
BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
I
f you’re visiting the Duval County Courthouse and see a dog in a hallway – or even in a courtroom – understand that the dog and the volunteer at the other end of the leash are there to help you feel less anxious about being in the building. Thirteen volunteer handlers and their dogs are on Jacksonville’s courthouse therapy dogs team. The dogs are evaluated for the required calm and gentle disposition and are trained along with their handlers, who undergo an application process including a background check. The dogs
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must be cleared by a veterinarian for health and up-to-date vaccinations. When all the qualifications are met, the handler and dog are registered with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that certifies therapy and facility dogs for courts, hospitals, nursing homes, airports and other public venues. Unlike service dogs that are trained to assist an individual who has a specific disability or need, therapy dogs are selected and trained to provide comfort to anyone in distress, often in a group setting such as at the courthouse. SEE DOGS, PAGE 6
Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
CenterState Bank will leave 100 N. Laura St. by September for a branch building in San Marco.
THE MENDENHALL REPORT
Vestcor not giving up on project despite veto Cathedral District interest on rise. PAGE 4 VOLUME 2, NO. 5 • ONE SECTION